100 DAYS PROJECT: #17
Smoke and Mirrors
This one has a more surrealistic feel to it as a woman meets herself in a moment of mirror. I’ve also played with two protagonists and used both points of view, though originally I had used past and present tense to separate them, I’ve since changed both to present.
There’s a story, there’s a theme, motif, but it depends on the trail taken to establish a real story arc. I may still need to tinker with the linking though. The couple people who are trying a few of these hypertexts are getting frustrated and lost. I’m getting frustrated too.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
June 8th, 2009 at 7:42 am
One thing I didn’t catch from this was the second viewpoint. I took everything from the woman’s perspective. One suggestion that might totally be wrong (I make loads of these) is to have the final link return to the beginning of the story. It’s such an abrupt shift to go from story to –plop– website. I use the back browser button to return and follow the skipped paths, but if you could put me there from the end that would save time.
I’m still trying to justify side paths as story arcs, instead of “oh, by the way” fillers… If I can learn from anyone it will be you.
June 8th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Think I’m going to take a break from it all and learn it myself before putting it out there. Thanks for the feedback particularly on the endings; there were hypertextually many options to take and I wasn’t sure this was the right one. I’ll likely do as you suggest, and add a “HOME” button on the first and last lexias. Thanks!
June 8th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Wow, just pulled something else from your comment: “but if you could put me there from the end that would save time.”
Wonder if this is the new media version of page-flipping, scanning. Wonder if it’s society as a whole seeking quick-fast-kabam! or a tendency not to get too involved. How do people read regular traditional book-form stories these days?
June 8th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I can’t say. The last traditional book I read was “I Am the Cheese” in December.
June 8th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Did fix the ending to give you a choice–but one that’s labeled–to go back to “start” or back “home.” Thanks for making me face up to it and figure it out!
June 9th, 2009 at 6:43 am
These last tags are terrific. They gently cue the reader that they’ve reached a conclusion, and can either step off the ride or turn around for more fun. This works for me!
Question: how about taking a well-known fairy tale and writing it like a hypertext? Say, Snow White? We could stay home with her, follow the dwarves to the mine, or check in with the evil queen… I’m thinking familiarity might allow us to see the process without having to rely on story so much. I love reading your words, but then I get so caught up I don’t connect the pieces. (And you know my dexterity with maps!)
Just a sleepy, uncaffeinated thought.
June 9th, 2009 at 7:32 am
Glad it helped and thanks for pointing it out. Also, I’ve added ‘titles’ so that on your browser you should be able to see the name of the writing space you’re on. And (also known as also, but I just used that) the ‘hover’ will show you where you’re going (at least on Firefox it does, on the bottom bar).
It does take time to get used to both reading and writing story in hypertext form. I’m so glad you’re willing to try it. Hey, why don’t we do one together on a fairy tale. I’m not good at it yet nor am I a good teacher, but it’d help you to see how it’s worked out.